Sermon Tone Analysis

15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you?

Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?

They said, Barabbas.

22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?

They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

The Passover Pardon

15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would

 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would

Roman custom was to release a prisoner to the people at the annual Passover feast.

The people were permitted to make the choice of the prisoner.

This custom was obviously to help keep control of the people during the Passover celebration when Jerusalem and Judea would be teeming with many visitors.

Rome was always afraid of a riot at such times and releasing a prisoner would help appease the people.

The Prisoners

 “And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.”

Barabbas Character

Reputation “notable”

His reputation was that of a notable one.

Not someone you would want to be around.

Rebellion “ insurrection”

You may be nothing like Barabbas and you may not be.

Perhaps you may think you are not rebellious but friend any time you do not obey the voice of the Lord you are rebellious.

If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 1 Sam 12:14-15

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.23

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Barabbas Conviction

Robber “Now Barabbas was a robber”’

We don’t know what he stole but we know he was a robber.

And I have to believe that since Jesus was crucified with two thieves that perhaps Barabbas knew them.

The Holy Bible: King James Version.

(2009).

(Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ).

Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc

In many was we may not be thieves but in some ways we may be.

Any time we take something that does not belong to us even an ink pen that’s stealing.

Have you ever taken extra time at work for breaks or lunch?

That’s stealing.

Do you ever Rob God?

Murderer “who had committed murder”

This one may be more difficult to relate to however I would argue we are all murderers.

Don’t think I am crazy just yet, hear me out.

Let’s me remind you of the three things that held Christ to the cross.

1.

A submission to a divine will 2.

A saviors love 3. A sinners sins.

Every time we sin we strike the spikes that put him on the cross and press the crown of thornes deeper into his head.

“But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you”

Acts 3:13–15 (POSB KJV Ac): No man is exempt from God’s love; no man is exempt from the death of Jesus.

Every man’s sins are covered by God’s love and Jesus’ death.

Therefore, every man—in all the arrogance and rebellion and denial of his sins—delivered Jesus up to the cross and killed Him.

It was for my sins He died.

It was my sins that put Him on the cross.

Jesus Character

Perfection

Spotless Conception

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.”

“ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”

The Virgin Birth is most Vital because we must know that his conception is heavenly and not earthly, of God and not man

First, with God as his Father, he did not inherit Adam’s sin nature, as have all other men and women in the world who have two human parents.

Thus, he could be the “spotless lamb,” the unblemished sacrifice that would satisfy God’s judgment of sin.

Anything less than perfect is not good enough as payment for our sin.

Jesus was sinlessly perfect.

Second, because Jesus is God, his becoming a human, his perfect life, and his sacrificial death are actions of God involving himself personally in the solution to our problem.

God did not just sit back and shout “I love you!” from the heavens.

Nor did he send someone else as a messenger or servant to do the work.

God himself became one of us!

Only God himself could satisfy his own standards of perfection.

Only God could offer himself as a full payment that would satisfy his own righteous demands, fully appeasing his own wrath against our sin.

God, the judge, passed the death sentence against us; then God, the Savior, came down to stand in front of us and absorb that sentence himself.

This could not have happened if Jesus had been born of a human father.

Third, because Jesus is human, he qualifies as a representative of the human race, a mediator, before God (see Heb. 4:14–5:3; also Rom. 5:12–21).

It would have been meaningless for a nonhuman to die for the human race, because he would have had no connection or identity with those for whom he died.

In order for Jesus the Christ to die in our place, he had to be one of us.

This point of identification is critical to the success of God’s plan.

Without a human mother, Jesus could not have carried out God’s plan to redeem (buy back) his own people.

Nor could he have done it without a divine Father.

Spotless Conception

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.”

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

And shall call his name Immanuel.

“ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”

The Virgin Birth is most Vital because we must know that his conception is heavenly and not earthly, of God and not man

The Holy Bible: King James Version.

(2009).

(Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ).

Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.